Bench Play Propels Fullerton to Another 3C2A State Championship Banner

Visalia, Calif. - #1 vs. #1 came down to … Fullerton's Jaqari Miles and Trey Thompson.

With Fullerton's 67-64 come-from-behind victory, the Hornets, who closed out the season with a 28-game win streak, have now secured the program's third 3C2A state championship in the last six seasons.

San Francisco City, the defending state champions, was trying to become the fourth program to repeated as men's basketball championship since 1952. The only programs to accomplish such a feat are Long Beach City (1968 & 1959); Riverside (1964, 1965 & 1966 under Jerry Tarkanian); Rancho Santiago (1990 & 1991, now Santa Ana, under Hall of Fame coach Dana Pagett).

Ultimately, these two storied programs and two future Hall of Fame coaches put on an epic championship battle. Fullerton (32-1) and San Francisco City (31-2) have quite the history in meeting in the state finals. The championship game was the fourth meeting between the two teams since 2019. Fullerton now holds a 3-1 record against the Rams in state finals.

Results in the state championship game between Fullerton and San Francico City
2019 - Fullerton (30-3) 85-79 vs. CC San Francisco (31-2)
2023 - Fullerton (32-1) 83-73 vs. CC San Francisco (29-4)
2025 - CC San Francisco (32-1) 75-58 vs. Fullerton (30-4)
2026 - Fullerton (32-1) 67-64 vs. CC San Francisco (31-2)

"All year, we talked about how this was going to be fight (to the end)," Fullerton head coach Perry Webster said. "We really are a young group, but they are the best freaking kids in the world. They do stuff right every day. I love being around them."

This year, Webster led the Hornets to its fourth 3C2A State Championship game since 2019, and fifth championship appearance in his 10 years at Fullerton. Meanwhile, no one has won more 3C2A state men's basketball titles than Just Labagh at San Francisco City. In 2025, Labagh passed legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian for the all-time record with five state titles.

But the story line was about Miles, a sophomore out of West Ranch High School, and Thompson, a freshman out of Washington Prep.

Miles, a 6-3 guard and a first-team All-Orange Empire Conference selection, came off the bench to score 25 second-half points, after playing just eight minutes in the first half and going scoreless. Meanwhile, Thompson, a 6-2 guard and a second team all-conference selection, scored 13 first-half points in just 11 minutes of play to keep the Hornets close.

The two players accounted for 31 of the Hornets' 43 second-half points. They also outscored San Francisco City's bench, by 27 points (42 to 15).

"They are both ballers," webster said. "They are two of the best guards in the state. They both sacrificed themselves by coming off the bench. They never made it about themselves. It was all about this team winning."

Yoda Oke, the Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year, was the only Fullerton starter to score in double figures. He finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, nine of them defensive. For his efforts, he was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Fullerton scored 22 of its 67 points at the free throw line. Meanwhile, San Francisco City shot just 13 free throws, making 6.

San Francisco City had four starters score in double figures, led by Kenyan DeMuynck, the north's state player of the year, who had 13 points with 3 blocks and 4 rebounds. Teammates Jaylen Wheeler, Shane Lincoln and Victor Aoliveria each added 12 apiece.

Citrus' fast-paced attacked on Saturday appeared to have little effect on the Rams. San Francisco City shot 41.7 percent in the first half. Fullerton, which blew out Santa Rosa, on the other hand struggled, making just 9 of 24 shots (37.5 percent) and 2 of 12 three pointers (16.7 percent). Also, for the first time at the tournament, which was held at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Fullerton was dominated on the boards with San Francisco City finishing the first half with a +7 advantage.

San Francisco City got off to a fast start, scoring 12 of the first 16 points over the first five minutes. Fullerton stormed back behind Thompson. With Thompson in the game, Fullerton scored eight of the next 10 points, getting within two at 14-12 with just under 13 remaining. In just seven minutes of court time, Thompson had scored in double figures with 11 points.

San Francisco City opened its largest lead at 23-17 with under nine minutes to go after Fullerton had crept back within one at 18-17. Eventually the Rams opened a 10-point lead on a Lincoln turnaround jumper in the key play with 3:57 left. A Kirby Seals offensive rebound, and dunk extended the Rams' lead to 12 points with 2:47 remaining.

A Fullerton scored the half's final three points in the first half to cut the lead to 33-24.

"We went in at half time and we told them there is going to be a time when your backs are against the wall and can you and will you dig in and will yourself to a win," Webster said.

In the second half, the Hornets quickly cut the lead to two, 33-31, on a Oke three-pointer and two free throws by Brayden Smith after San Francisco City's Kenyon Demuynck was called for an intentional foul, and then a Smith jump shot.

San Francisco City went scoreless for the first four minutes of the half. However, the Rams quickly recovered with back-to-back baskets, reupping the lead to eight at 39-31 with 14:51 remaining.

Fullerton continued to battle, re-cutting the lead to 39-36, as Thompson hit two free throws with 13:30 left. Thompson later hit a layup to move the Hornets within one at 39-38 with just over 13 remaining.

Turnovers slowed Fullerton's offense. After seven minutes gone in the first half, Fullerton had achieved nine turnovers. Meanwhile, San Francisco City's steady offensive attack seemed to lose some steam as the Rams scored only six points in the first eight minutes of the final half.

With 11:08, Fullerton took its first lead of the game at 40-39 on a Miles jump shot. Miles then a three-pointer to open a four-point Fullerton lead. With just over eight minutes remaining, San Francisco City had scored just eight points yet trailed just by two at 43-41. In the first 12 minutes of the final half of the season, the Rams committed seven turnovers, after suffering only three in the first half.

An Oliveira layup with 6:51 left tied the game at 45-45. San Francisco City regained the lead at 6:13 as Ahmaree Muhammed made one of two free throws. With 5:36 left, Fullerton tied the game on a free throw by Miles. He then hit two free throws to give the Hornets a 48-46 lead after he was fouled on the long rebound.

But San Francisco City's Jaylen Wheeler quickly tied it at 48-48, and then the Rams took the lead again on a Wheeler layup after Thompson missed layup and Wheeler went coast-to-coast.

Fullerton's championship ring hopes were extended at the free throw line. With 4:46 left, the Hornets had hit 15 of 20 free throws, while the Rams had hit just 1 of 4.

After falling behind by two, 52-50, Miles hit a three pointer to give Fullerton the lead back at 53-52 with 3:32 remaining. After a Demuynck free throw, the game was tied at 53 with 3:30 remaining. Miles then hit a three pointer, but Demuynck matched it with under three left.

A Miles layup returned the lead to Fullerton at 58-56 with 2:35 remaining. A Lincoln layup tied the game at 1:45. With 1:16 remaining, Demuynck fouled Oke on a deep three with the shot clock running down. Oke made two of three, giving the Hornets a 60-58 lead. A foul by Miles with a minute remaining, sent Oliveria to the free throw line, where he made one of two.

A nifty Miles up-and-under layup gave the Hornets a 62-59 lead with 33 seconds left. An Oliveria three-pointer missed the mark, and the Rams quickly fouled Thompson. Thompson, who finished with 17 points off the bench, made both for a 64-59 lead.

With 13 seconds left, Demuynck was fouled and he made one of two. But Oliveria rebounded the miss and was fouled. He stepped to the line with 10 seconds left and made both, cutting the Hornets' lead to 64-62.

San Francisco City fouled on the inbounds play. Unfortunately, they choose Miles. He stepped to line and hit both free throws for a 66-62 lead. A quick layup by Muhammed recut the lead to two again with three seconds left. But again, Miles went to the free throw where he sealed the win.

All-Tournament Team
MVP - Yoke Ode, Fullerton
Travis Hightower, Santa Rosa
Leo Ricketts, Citrus
James Moore, City College of San Francisco
Donovan Pitts, Fullerton
Kenyon DeMuynck, City College of San Francisco